You would think that when they arrived to the beautiful elf city, to watch the hobbit get carried off for what Legolas assumed was an exorcism, that he'd be able to afford some time with Tauriel. After all, Kili was with his uncle for moral support, meaning the she elf was without that idiot by her side. Yet for one reason or another, the maiden was unapproachable. One minute he'd find her conversing with new elves from the city, then the next she was asking the dwarfs for any news on Bilbo. She kept busying herself and making it extremely hard for Legolas to have a private moment with her!
At last, after trailing her all over the incredible city, he found her alone, eating a quite meal in one of the gloriously decorated dining areas. Casually, the lean blonde strode over, taking a seat and picking up a nearby apple. As his teeth sunk into the tart and tasty treat, he glanced at her, the female acting as if he wasn't there at all.
Was she still mad about the poisoned fruit thing? Perhaps, yet how was he to redeem himself when the stubborn companion wouldn't even acknowledge his existence? What might he do to get her to at least speak with him?
A thought came to Legolas, and it wasn't exactly a pleasant one. Everyone was concerned about the hobbits well being. He could care less, but it was apparent that the elf maiden across from him did. So, in hopes of actually starting a conversation, the blonde carefully asked of 'little Bilbo' and how the hobbit was doing.
"No one's heard anything yet, poor Kili's beside himself on how to console his worried uncle." Tauriel replied willingly. "I'm sure that everything is going to be fine though, they have Lady Galaderial to heal the wee one." She spoke assuredly.
"I've heard many stories of the Lady's healing powers. Though at this point I have to wonder if the hobbit can last out long enough for her powers to take effect." His words were met with a heated look from Tauriel.
"Quit being so negative! Give the hobbit some hope for the Eldars sake!" She scolded him like a child.
"I am only being honest, he's had that monster clawing inside him for a long while. Lady Galaderial is powerful, but sometimes things are just out of our hands." He was treading on thin ice, he could tell by the way his companion glared daggers at him, her slender eyebrows furrowed.
"You know what Legolas, no one likes a downer, and that's exactly what you're being right now. How about you take that apple and shove it up your negative, uptight ass." With that said, she rose quickly, leaving the blonde to stare after her wide eyed and open mouthed.
"What'd I do wrong?!" He spoke to himself, exasperated with trying to woo the easily peeved Tauriel.
-0-0-
The hobbit was momentarily quiet, having been drugged with an all natural drink, it eased his pain, making him currently numb from the chest down. He was also delirious, having been dehydrated throughout their last leg of the trip, so with the current drug inside him, he was a bit loopy when he did speak.
"Thorin, if I die, please don't find anyone else..." He had said this for like the hundredth time, and Thorin dutifully responded as he had before.
"You know I never will. Please stop worrying about that, little one."
Then, unexpectedly, Bilbo said a strange statement to his companion.
"Thorin Oakenshield, if you bed anyone else after I die, so help me I will haunt your ass!" He glared at the dwarf as if he'd already stared looking for another lover.
"I have no clue why he's speaking that way." He shook his head, Gandalf and the Lady of Light sharing a glance.
"Please, try not to let his words hurt you. That was the evil creature inside him, forcing Bilbo's insecurities out in the open." The Lady Galaderial explained, touching Thorin's shoulder kindly.
"No!" Bilbo butted in, "it's because I've caught him saying 'I love you' to Dwalin!" Bilbo informed everyone within the room, making Thorin blush as his brows burrowed.
"You know it wasn't like that." He tersely spoke to the slightly out of it hobbit.
Galadriel's hands were hovering above the hobbits plump belly, her mind sensing the dark presence within Bilbo.
"It's so large, it's going to take a lot of power to shrink it down enough to extract. Gandalf, I need you to concentrate all your powers with mine. It's going to sting a little, be ready to calm him, Thorin." The Lady of Light readied her small group. Even with the pain killing elixir within the hobbit, what they were about to attempt would be felt by the hobbit.
"I am ready my lady." Gandalf informed her, placing his staff above the hobbits belly, ready to start concentrating.
Galadriel closed her eyes, and started focusing on the abomination. Now, if Bilbo had been pregnant with a normal, half dwarf and half hobbit child, she never would have condoned the actions taking place. But this wasn't a normal circumstance, this being was corrupt, demented. It had to be abolished before Bilbo lost his own life in the attempt of giving birth.
Slowly, the thing began to shrink, each little centimeter shrunk was causing the drugged hobbit to cry, jerking to only be stilled by Thorin's sturdy hands.
"I'm right here, Bilbo. It's going to be fine." Thorin cooed to his wounded companion.
-0-0-
Thandriul was like a hound on a scent, following the dwarfs smelly, icky stench of a trail until the elf tracking group could see the golden leafed trees from a distance.
On a more entertaining journey, the Mirkwood king might have been excited to witness the beauty that was Lady Galadriel's kingdom. To relish in the cultural experience and enjoy wines that (he hated to admit it) surpassed his own in flavor and potency.
Yet that was not about to happen, they were elves on a mission, a mission to punish the wicked and take back his son. Legolas, hopefully the idiot hadn't done anything stupid with that Silven elf, Thandriul would rather an Orc use his treasured mane of hair for an ass wipe than have his son bond by physical union to the hussy, Tauriel.
"Elves, circle round. We've a plan to concoct." He spoke authoritatively to his men, his commanding behavior ruined by a feminine sounding sneeze.
The troops of elves tried desperately to hold back laughter, but the king seemed to be having some sort of attack, his eyes red and watery as he sneezed over and over again. By the time his nose halted its onslaught of snotty behavior, the group before him was practically covered in the Mirkwood rulers 'nose drool'. Faces were made in disgust as some elves began taking out handkerchief's, wiping away Thanduril germs as quickly as they could.
"As I was saying." He sounded congested, sniffling and wiping at his running, sensitive nose, "We need a plan. It appears our dwarves we've been tracking have sought refuge with the Lady of Light. Now, I do not wish a confrontation with someone as powerful as her, so we're to ride in there as if everything is fine. Lead them into a false sense of safety. Once they leave, we travel together and seek restitution outside of the Lady's kingdom." He watched with puffy, irritated eyes as heads nodded in agreement, others were still busying themselves with wiping away kingly boogers and other nasal residue.
"Alright, move out!" He ordered, urging his mount forward to lead on the group. It pained the king that he'd have to wait even longer for vengeance, but it couldn't be helped. Taking on the group and starting a fight within her kingdom wouldn't look good, and possibly would cause the powerful lady to become angry towards him. An incident he didn't want happening any time soon.
-0-0-
"My lady, we bring news of other visitors."
"Please greet them for me, I'm in the middle of healing and can not stop this process." The radiant leader sent away her underling. Bilbo's internal demon was now the size of a grapefruit. They'd made much progress, but there was still a lot to finish up. She could tell by his sweaty, shaky demeanor that Gandalf was struggling to maintain their high leveled concentration.
"You're doing well, my friend. We're getting close to the monsters end." She encouraged him mentally.
"After this, I'm raiding your wine cellars." He mentally joked with her, trying to keep light hearted.
"Raid all you wish, you've eared it." She winked, making him smile lightly, before concentrating harder on their time consuming task.
Bilbo was in and out of it, mumbling incoherent words, sometimes striking out at Thorin who had to keep his guard up. The dwarf was in agony just watching his hobbit, his eyes pained by seeing Bilbo so thoroughly miserable.
"Bilbo, when we get back, you're going to take it easy. I'll keep you company in bed if I have to, just hang on long enough for this monstrosity to leave your body." He encouraged his companion, constantly wiping at the hobbits sweating brow.
"Uncle!" Thorin heard his nephew Kili calling from behind the closed door.
"Quiet, Kili!" Thorin barked, not wanting any type of distraction.
"But uncle! You won't believe who just arrived within the city. It's Thanduril!" Kili hurriedly informed his father figure.
Thorin was surprised, and then suddenly suspicious. Why was the king of Mirkwood visiting this place so abruptly? Something didn't sit right with Thirin.
"Watch him, Kili. You and your brother. I don't trust that elf any farther than I can throw him. Be my eyes and ears, boys." Thorin ordered the dutiful nephews, hearing a muffled yes uncle from both dwarfs before their boots were heard marching away.
That's all he needed, to top off Bilbo's condition, he also had Caterpillar Brows to worry about. Damn that Thanduril!
-0-0-
Legolas had been giving Tauriel space, wandering the city when he found himself being touched and pulled into a small alcove within a giant tree. A female elf with a hood concealing her face, locked the two inside the dark alcove.
"Legolas, we've got a problem." It was Tauriel, the blonde male elf felt a smile play on his lips, feeling their close quarters a positive sign. Maybe she was feeling more susceptible to his charms?
"A problem you say, I'm sure I can find a way to solve it." He was trying to play it cool, taking and arm and pulling her in close.
"What are you doing?" She asked, tension in her voice, "We don't have any time for nonsense!"
"I see, then lets not waste any time." He was over confident, placing a hand where he ought not, and leaning in to try and peck her lips.
In the darkened area, he hadn't seen her fist coming, the tough female placing a rough punch to his small, delicate nose.
"My face!" He removed his hands from her, placing them over his injured nose, "I think you've broken my nose!" He hissed, feeling very upset and confused. Hadn't she drawn him into this private setting for an intimate moment?!
"Listen, damn you! We're in trouble, your father was seen recently entering this city. Do you know what he'll do if he catches us here with the dwarfs? We must hide until he leaves! I'm not about to head back to Mirkwood, and by now you've been gone long enough that he'd see fit to have you reprimanded as well." She informed the clueless blonde.
"My fathers here? But that's perfect! We can return home and leave all this dwarf nonsense behind us, Tauriel." He was back to the old Legolas, trying to get Tauriel to 'see the light' and dump Kili like a dirty tunic.
"We're not going anywhere for a while. You're stuck in here with me until your fathers left." She positioned herself so that she was between the locked door and Legolas.
"This is madness, I'm not spending the rest of our time here, alone in a tiny alcove with you." He was still holding onto his pained nose, glaring at his companion in irritation.
Tauriel was quick to think up an easy enough way for him to settle down and stick inside the hiding spot until it was safe.
"But Legolas, this is the perfect chance for us to have alone time. Who knows, maybe with enough time together in here, you might be able to convince me to rethink my partnership with Kili." She placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. In all honesty, she had no intention of leaving Kili, but if the fib got Legolas to behave and let them hide out, it was worth fooling the other.
"I admit, I've wanted a chance to speak with you alone. It's hard for me, Tauriel, to talk of things other than battle. I know I've only talked with you as a fellow elf warrior, but I wish to try and speak of other things with you, if you'll let me." He was getting hopeful, wanting a real chance at winning her, and willing to allow her his compliance with hiding if it meant he might win her heart over.
"Talk with me then, I will listen." She encouraged him, willing to listen to any mushy confession if it meant they'd go undetected during the Mirkwood kings stay.
-0-0-
The Hobbit Belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien
A/N: Yay for updating! Thanks for reading my stories still and enjoying them. What will Kili think when he can't find Tauriel or Legolas anywhere?! Will the Mirkwood king stay civil, or lose all self control? It's gonna get crazy up in here! Keep an eye out for the next chapter!